A man accused of murdering his Danish wife had no intention of killing her, a defence barrister told a jury.
Mr Paul McDermott said the official garda account of his client's confession was questionable. Mr McDermott was making his closing speech at the trial of Joe Kinsella, (47) of Blanchardstown, Dublin, who admits attacking Bente Carroll on the night she died, but denies murder.
Mr McDermott said the couple lived in a "twilight world" on the margins of society. They had a drink problem and relied on each other for friendship and support. Mr Kinsella would never have intended to kill Ms Carroll because she was the one who kept him from complete isolation.
Joe had also told gardai he did not know what he was doing when he attacked his wife, which suggested that he did not have the intention to kill.
Mr McDermott told the jury it should also examine the vital issue of whether Joe Kinsella's actions had caused the death of his wife. He said there were alternative medical explanations to suggest she did not die from strangulation.
Mr McDermott also said the jury should treat the garda account of Mr Kinsella's interrogation with a degree of scepticism.
Gardai had claimed that they did not prompt points made in Mr Kinsella's written confession, yet it began with the legal phrase: "I'm here of my own free will. I don't want a solicitor."
Prosecution counsel Mr Brendan Grehan said the jury was entitled to return a murder verdict and could conclude Mr Kinsella intended to kill his wife.
Medical evidence suggested Ms Carroll had been strangled and Mr Kinsella's behaviour in the weeks before the killing suggested he had contemplated his actions.
Mr Kinsella had also made a full confession in various interviews to a number of different gardai, Mr Grehan said.
Mr Justice Paul Carney told the jury they would begin their deliberations on the case today.